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I'm not an attorney, but I've litigated almost a hundred cases without a lawyer. Question: sometimes I'll have attorneys approach me at court when I'm on a cas

I'm not an attorney, but I've litigated almost a hundred cases without a lawyer. Question: sometimes I'll have attorneys approach me at court when I'm on a case that's an obvious winner (and has statutory legal fees, which I can't claim because I'm not represented) and offer to take the case on so they'll get the fees, and then split the fees with me (and let me keep the damages). Is there any reason why this would not be legal? I've not done it yet simply because I like to litigate everything myself to make a point that it's possible, but sometimes you get a judge that really hates unrepresented people and a lawyer would change the game.

MockObject 4y ago
> I'm not an attorney, but I've litigated almost a hundred cases without a lawyer. Fascinating! I've only ever seen this criticized as a horrible idea. Are you operating in a specific area that you're skilled in? I assume you must have a decent win ratio.
thathndude 4y ago
Fascinating. I would love to hear more about your experiences! I could probably learn a thing or two (email in profile). Ethics rules vary state to state. And, generally, a lawyer cannot split attorneys' fees with a non-lawyer. However, I'm aware of some jurisdictions that have exceptions to this rule, and perhaps, depending on the details, that might give them an out from the general prohibition. But what you're describing is exactly the point I'm making. Having an attorney can often be a way to uncap your upside potential. If you can make the numbers work with the lawyer, then it's a win-win.